The festive struggle eases in Herjólfsgufan

Christmas in the City of Hafnarfjörður

„Herjólfsgufan will be a sanctuary for the heart and body in the run-up to Christmas. A place where the stress melts away,“ says Silja Þórðardóttir, a master of the Finnish sauna and one of the owners of Herjólfsgufan, who, along with her mother Lára Alda Alexandersdóttir, attended a Finnish sauna management course on the Snæfellsnes peninsula last spring.

Lára, who grew up in Ólafsvík, was planning to drive around her home town while her daughter sweated in the sauna. Her plans changed; she unexpectedly took part in the course and now leads weekly steam sessions in the steam room for the older age group. Lára says the experience is invaluable.

„It nourishes us to sit with strangers and chat about everything under the sun. To stand outside in our swimming costumes, looking out at the sea.“

The bond was strengthened in the steam.

The first blast of Herjólfsgufan at Langeyrarmalir was in the latter half of May. Silja, who has studied welfare studies, is studying art and well-being at the Academy of Fine Arts and has studied positive psychology, says all the disciplines blend together in the steam.

„Connections are a common thread in all these disciplines, and they are strengthened in the steam.“ The bond between the mother and daughter was further strengthened by the Herjólf steam adventure.

„My mum and I are very close,“ she says, adding that life changed when her father, Thórður, died thirteen years ago and her mother moved home after more than twenty years abroad – in Washington and Barbados. Silja says her mother has gradually found her feet, and Lára agrees.

Emotional processing in the heat

„Grief counselling,“ says Lára. „I'd been bottling it up, but I've managed to let my feelings out,“ she says. Gufan adds to the social life in Hafnarfjörður. „Yes, it's a haven you can pop into and have a good time with little notice,“ says Lára.

Silja says the steam is an experience for the senses. „Yes, it's so good to open your heart and just let it all out.“ Lára agrees: „Yes, you really come alive in the steam. Here at Langeyrarmalir, I have the sea and the people. We dip our toes in the fjord, draw energy from the seaweed, and I always look forward to it.“

Caption: Mother and daughter Lára Alda Alexandersdóttir and Silja Þórðardóttir learnt together to become steam masters. They use the power of the Herjólfsgufan at Langeyrarmalir.

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